Friends - Lovers, Virtues - Vices

It wasn't as if they wouldn't like it, the annual summer ball. The annual event they were supposed to show up, treat some nice girl to some drinks and a dance, smile politely at the professors and whoever else happened to be there.
No, really, it wasn't if -they- wouldn't it.

Jake was quite eager, quite willing to fulfil his task, take on the role he was supposed to play, be the captain all the way it was meant to be played. Getting out his black suit that made him look even more superior, more mature and trustworthy than he already was.

Shane, on the other hand, could not hate it more than he already was. Superficiality. That was what the ball meant to him. And all the fuss. Just like in some sort of high school. He hated being bothered to actually ask a girl out. He would have loved to go with Dena. Every year. But she had just agreed once. For her the ball was a chance to fall in love. And she wanted this so badly...

He sighed as he walked through the corridors of the library, a stack of books in his hands, watching as other students passed him, chattering most of the time. He could only make out fragments of the conversations that seemed to be engulfing him.

“Whom you gonna asked?” was the most frequent phrase exchanged between male students, while the female part in it mostly sounded like: “Oh my God, he asked me!” or “Can you believe he asked me?” or “I can't believe he didn't ask me but that SLUT!”, often in high-pitched voices.

God, he was glad to be walking out of the library right now, crossing the little park on the campus without anything but insects around. Sometimes those stinging creatures -were- nicer than humans. He could tell. What he couldn't was whom he was going to ask “out”...
This did not feel right.

- -

Jake cleared his throat. His red-haired room mate was typing along something at his laptop. It was two days to go to the ball. The captain had just picked up his suit and now it was hanging on the outer door of the wardrobe.

“So,” he started casually, walking over to stand right behind his lover. “You already have an idea whom you'd like to go to the ball with?”

Shane smirked and without turning around or stopping his typing he replied: “Yeah, you.”

“That's sweet indeed but, as I may remind you, impossible.” Jake snorted.

“The captain has spoken.” the red-haired remarked with slight sarcasm in his voice. Jake frowned. He knew Shane hated these kinds of events and always let the punk side of himself take control at these times. It was so bothersome. Why couldn't they just get it over with? It was no big deal, just acting nice, politely and according to the rules of social conduct for a limited time. What was so wrong with it?

As far as Jake could think he had always had quite some fun during the balls, chatting along with fellow students, getting to know other people from his faculty. Their university wasn't the biggest. It wasn't the smallest. Their ball was planned with three different faculties. A very interesting mix of people was the result.

“You have a -date- already, mighty Jake?” Shane suddenly asked without lifting his eyes from the screen, stressing and almost hissing the word “date”.

Jake smirked and asked, imitating his lover's voice: “Are you jealous?”

At this remark Shane turned around and swiftly rose to his feet, grabbing Jake's wrist and pushing him to lie on the bed on his back, pinning his arms above his head.
“I don't think so, darling...” he purred and kissed the black-haired intimately.
Jake was still smirking when Shane let go of him and returned to sit at his desk.

The captain sprang back to his feet.
“I asked Larissa out.” he declared.

“That oh so gorgeous cheerleader number one who cried oh so badly because we lost last week's game?” Shane asked.

“Exactly. And before you ask why, this is what I tell you. I am the captain of the basketball team and as such, the cheerleaders which are cheering for us, for our university, for our victory, for our common goal, are also of importance to me.” Jake explained. “Moreover, basketball players are supposed to be going out with pretty girls and cheerleaders are often referred to as being pretty girls. And if you take my advice – Shona, Larissa's friend and also part of the cheerleading squad is waiting for you to ask her. So get our ass up and do it.”

Again Shane stood up and walked over to Jake. Sighing he said: “Sometimes I wonder whether I shouldn't gag you also outside of sex.”
He kissed the captain hard on his lips, his fingers digging into the soft flesh they could grab.

“I'm gonna go ask her now but you will repay me with a blowjob, got that?” the red-haired confidently stated, putting on his shoes with Jake watching him.
“And I want that one as soon as I come back.” he added.

“Of course... Shane.” Jake replied wearily and watched his room mate leave.

Later, while Shane was thrusting into him deep and at an enormously high pace, filling him with his semen, Jake breathed out: “I thought you only wanted a blowjob...”
Shane smacked him across the face, stating: “Shut up, Jake...”

- -

Didn't Larissa just feel oh so happy? With Jake's attention all for her? The captain of the basketball team together with beautiful-looking Miss “I put on too much make-up because I am so ugly”.

Shane snorted as he watched her stroke her sandy blonde hair. She had extensions and also fake dark brown strands. Her eyes were some kind of blue mixed with dark green. Mesmerising. Or whatever.

Jake filled her cup with the punch as she continued to talk her bullshit. So far, as Shane could tell, she hadn't closed her mouth once. She had not shut up for the past three hours. And neither did his date.

“Don't you think they are just great?” Shona's voice got him back to reality.

“What? Sorry, I didn't get that.” he quickly said.

She sighed. “Would you just listen ONCE to me, I thought you could be a real buddy, that's at least what people keep saying about you.”

“You know you shouldn't believe in everything people tell you.” he commented almost coldly.

“Hey!” she complained and pouted: “Don't be so mean to me, Shaney.”

Shaney.
He sighed and forced himself to smile at her.
“I'm sorry Shona, I think I'm a bit tired that's all. Another drink?”

“Ooh yes, please!” she more sang than said and followed him to the opulent buffet table Jake and Larissa had already left. While the red-haired was filling their cups and Shona was quite caught up talking to a couple they had walked in, he scanned the hall for Jake, still angry that the captain had been ignoring him all this while.

There they were. Dancing. To that fucked up slow pop-rock song he hated so much, among other detestable couples. Larissa had her head rested on Jake’s beautiful shoulder… They were swaying to the unhasty beats. He could hear Jake whispering something into her ear.

The blonde raised her head at this and smiled openly at Jake, bending forward and giving him a kiss on the cheek. And the black-haired smiled back. Returning the small kiss. They continued to dance. For another half an hour.

“Shaaaaane.” Shona cried out in an annoyed way. “Let’s danceeee!”

“Um, OK.” he answered, not taking his eyes off of Jake’s moving body. The red-haired manoeuvred himself and his “lady” quite close to the captain and his date. Ten minutes passed. Even though at times they danced right next to each other, Jake did not even shoot him one glance.

He smiled at Shona, oh yes he did. And at Larissa and at others who passed him. But not at Shane. For the green-eyed vice it was as if he was air to Jake. Or could there even be something more transparent than air? He wondered. Angry. Disappointed.

Another hour later, another hour of sulking and wondering and trying to suppress his angers he saw Jake give another kiss to Larissa. Onto her forehead this time. Then she walked away to the ladies’ room. This was definitely enough! Shane excused himself from Shona who was busy talking to some other guy anyway. Thank God.

With firm steps he approached the captain and stopped right in front of him. Now Jake was forced to look at him. The vice’s orbs flashed in a menacing green at him.

“I need to speak to you.” Shane coldly stated.

“Can’t it wait, Shane?” Jake responded wearily trying to smile at his lover.

“No fucking way.” was all the latter said. “So either you follow me outside now or I will just drag you out by your arm. You choose.”

Jake’s eyes widened for a moment, he wanted to say something but then knew better. “Can I just excuse myself from Larissa?”

“She will know you’re not here or is she too dumb for that?” Shane shot back.

“Jesus, what the fuck is it with you today?” Jake was murmuring under his nose as he followed the silent red-hair outside. They passed the crowd and were moving towards the back entrance. The dark embraced them as they stepped outside. Muffled beats were reaching them from the ball room.

They were alone.

“What the fuck is it with YOU today?!” Shane screamed at Jake, taking him in surprise. The black-haired looked confused and only manages to retort a “Wh-what?”

“Oh, you fucking know well, Jake! Enjoying yourself great with that slut!? Having a great “fake” time?!” Shane continued in an angry tone, his face slightly twisted in anger.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Why do you have a problem with Larissa? Why do you have a problem with me, I don’t get it!” the black-haired answered louder this time.

Shane snorted. “My dear captain,” he started in a sarcastic voice. “may I remind you that have been ignoring me the whole time? Since that fucked up ball started? You didn’t even look at me! Hey, I’m supposed to be your –lover-, OK? It’s already bad enough you have to flirt around with Barbie in front of my eyes! But here you are behaving like a dick, pretending I don’t exist.”

“I’m not flirting with her Shane, and…”

“Oh, stop bullshitting me!” the red-haired interrupted Jake’s reply. “You whisper crap in her ear, you kiss her cheek, you kiss her on the forehead and she looks up at you as if you were a fucking cup of ice cream she would want to eat up!”

“Larissa doesn’t mean anything to me! Don’t you get it?!?!” Jake hissed. “You are fucking overreacting! You know we can’t be public and don’t you think it would look stupid if we turned up here alone?!”

“No, I think you are stupid. We don’t –have- to do anything. It’s just your brain that’s been raped and that makes you think you –have- to do so many things, Jake.” Shane hissed back.

“You’re drunk, Shane! I’m not talking to you now, I’m going back in.” the black-haired remarked calmly and wanted to turn around but Shane’s firm hands gripped his arms and pushed him back, threw him onto the ground.

“You’re not going anywhere, captain.” Shane said in a menacing tone, towering over Jake.

“Shane!” the latter shouted scrambling back to his feet. “You’re sick, don’t you get it?! SICK and fucked up right now!”

“Oh, sick because I like to stick my dick up your ass?” Shane grinned frantically. Jake didn’t know what to say, merely looked at Shane, shocked. Eyes wide open. “Well, then you are sick too. I wonder what Larissa would say if she knew how keen you are on spreading your legs for me…” the red-haired mused still grinning.

“You…” Jake murmured. “You wouldn’t!” he almost whispered.

“What difference would it make?” the red-haired said, not taking his eyes off of the captain. Jake took a step towards his lover.

“Shane… You’re scaring me. Stop acting like that.” he remarked carefully.

“Why? I thought you just love acting. Is it not what we do the whole time? Isn’t it what you’ve been doing the whole evening, you asshole?” Shane screamed at him.

“It’s not what I mean, you bastard!” Jake shouted back.

How many minutes passed? They didn’t know but after some more screaming which got louder with every insult that passed their lips, which got worse and worse, their fists were already in action.
Who started? They couldn’t tell either but when they realized what step they had taken, they were already beating each other up. Kicking their partner, smacking his face with their fists, pulling at each other’s clothes, rolling on the floor, trying to shut up the other with violence.

“Fucking hell!” a male voice screamed suddenly. “Shane! Jake!”
“Oh, fuck!” another said.
“Shit!” the third one spat out.

Ryan, Bruce and Jude started to run towards their two friends who were in the middle of killing each other, shirts torn, some blood running down their chin, hair tangled.

It was Ryan who grabbed Shane, while Bruce grabbed Jake. They had to use utter force to actually separate them.
“Go get the others, quick!” Ryan had instructed Jude to do and the boy with cropped light brown hair had already gone back.

They were like animals. Glaring at each other, trying to break free from the restraining grips.

“Both of you, shut it!” Bruce screamed at both of them, then shooting a really worried look to Ryan who was at least as confused as the other team members who were now running over to them.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Michael asked as he finally came to a halt and saw the totally devastated captain and Shane.

They were all here now. The team moved as one. Always.

“Now could you please explain what this was about?” Jude finally asked in a calm voice. All eyes were on Shane and Jake now who were still staring at each other, not saying a word. Ryan and Bruce had already let go of them. They hadn’t attacked each other again.

“C’mon guys, don’t act like kids, please…” Niles said.

Still there was no response.

“What the fuck is wrong with you anyway?!” Bruce finally burst out. “You act so fucking weird and now THIS! Tell us!”

Shane snorted and then, still watching the black-haired, said: “Why don’t you explain, Jake?”

“It’s none of your business. It’s private.” the latter muttered in an annoyed manner, eyes locking to the ground. Shane snorted again.

“Everything that happens between team members is also our problem. We’re a team, don’t you remember? We can help you. Let’s not fuck up our season because of this!” Ryan was saying.

“JAKE!” a thrilled female voice screamed. Larissa came to a halt right next to him, staring at him in disbelief. Then she turned towards Shane. “YOU!” she screamed. “What did you do to Jake?!?! You moron!”

“Larissa, calm down, this has nothing to do with you…” Jake expressed sternly and touched her shoulder to turn her around.
Shane then turned his back to Jake and the rest of the crowd and started walking away.

“Shane!” Michael shouted but the addressed did not react. He was gone.

“What the hell is wrong???” Niles asked Jake now. But the black-haired was staring at the ground. He didn’t hear all the other questions directed at him as he, too, walked away, leaving a confused bunch of people behind.


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